March 5, 1919 -- George Ruminates on Life and the Germans

Echternach, Luxembourg

March 5, 1919

 Dear Home Folks:

            I’m at it again you all.  Say if you get all of these letters I’ve written the last three weeks you’d die of surprise or at least you ought to.  But with spring in the air, a lot to do (all indoors at a desk), the then laid up so you can’t even do that except when there is a car to spare to take  you to and from work, I’ve just got to write or go plumb crazy.  Guess I’m nearly in that state now.  The ankle hasn’t pained so much today, but nobody came to take me to work so I’ve read and thot and “Want to be Home,” till I feel like I could bite spikes in two.  You see how lucky you are not to have such a ferocious young man home, don’t you.  But if something doesn’t turn up to break the monotony, and use up this surplus steam and growing restlessness there will be no living with me by the time we do get there.  Guess you better build me a padded cell.

            The worst of it is, I really don’t seem to want to work, so why should I not enjoy an enforced rest?  Here it is a beautiful world, a sunny happy sort of spring day, but there is a fly in the broth somewhere and I can’t seem to pick him out.  The only enjoyment I seem to be really getting is in writing to you, and tho there really is nothing the matter, I’m afraid the tone of my letters may worry you or make you blue.  Oh, for a good pair of legs and a Tennis Court.  When I used to feel about 1/10 this way at Lawrence I got it out of my system that way usually.  They say that “Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do,” but even that old “Devil” seems to have forgotten me as I can’t think of anything really wickedly original to pull.  Yep!  It’s a gay old world “Nit” as the Luxembourger says for no.  I believe a few good old Jerry shells would be welcome as a diversion tho thank God for the rest of the world’s sake as well as the safety of my worthless neck they “Scream no more.” 

And if the Peace Conference uses good judgment they won’t have another chance for a long, long time.  Until after the war I was rather undecided as to how harsh the Peace should be made to hit Germany, but now I know they will not hit too hard.  But will they be harsh enough?  I never dreamed it possible the war could have touched Germany so little.  How very keen they were.  Half or two thirds of the wealth of machinery they will have to pay France and Belgium for is up there in Germany, ready to begin production in her factories as soon as the industrial wheels can be oiled, the raw material procured, and government established.  You can’t make a people over in a day, it takes generations.  What if the mouthpiece of the old system is cracked and thrown away?  Another can soon replace it.  And so while France and Belgium patch up the few remaining shreds and build anew, will they let Germany get a big lead industrially with the machinery she stole, and then paid for?  I think, I hope not.  It makes me boil when I read their whining about the “Unjust Indemnities” and the cry that the Allies strive to break and ruin them.  The people of course are the ones who will suffer as always, but better this generation of them should suffer the price of their short sightedness and miss education than for France and Belgium even the world to suffer now and in the future too.

            Say, the boys say I’ve a letter from home over in the office.  I’ll croak if someone doesn’t appear with it pretty soon.  And I think I’ll wait to close this till after I have recd and read it.  Tell them Au revoir.  Bonjour!

            Here we are again.  The mail came over by orderly, and did we devour two letters from home, one from Jo and a Keystone.  You bet we did, all but the money order which arrived O.K.  Thank you so much.  I hope it didn’t embarrass you much to send it.  Maybe I was rather abrupt and hasty with that card, but hope you received my letters of explanation soon after.  Oh! How I enjoy those letters from home.  And one of these with a message from daddy, mother and Susan.  It was splenglorious.  I know Herman is really busy but has he developed writer’s cramp.  Brother, I demand that you come thru with a letter pronto.  Otherwise I shall have to use an unfair advantage and sic your wife on you.  When you are properly henpecked I’ll bet you will write. 

Elmer Smith must have had a real exciting time of it, from his letter in the Keystone.  More power to him!  To the heroes belong the Medals – but like the Victor’s Spoils they don’t always materialize.  Well, I’ve just got to stop.  Hope you can read part of my hen scratches but I have me doots.

                                                Love to All

                                                            Geo. Sherwood

                                                            108^th Engineers

                                                            American Exp. Forces 

OK

Clyde L. Thompson

Captain  108^th Engrs.

Amer. E F.

[Postscript on back of an inside page].  Don’t know how or why I left this blank but guess it was to send you all my best love and greetings on.  

They trained us in a Southern Camp

On how to lick the Hun.

We must have learned it well

The way we made the Fritzies run.

But now they’re back across the Rhine

And their war machine is spent

Please don’t forget, Dear Uncle Sam

We too ‘nach Haus’ would ‘went.’